12 News Investigates: Disabled parking tags put dent in city revenue

A WISN 12 News investigation has uncovered a Milwaukee parking problem that one alderman said is costing the city $400,000 per year, and the problem may be perfectly legal.

Metered parking spaces in downtown Milwaukee are meant to generate thousands of dollars of revenue for the city. However, WISN 12 News found that dozens of prime parking spots near governmental buildings were being used all day by government employees and nearby workers at no cost.

WISN 12 News reporter Kent Wainscott monitored several metered parking spots for a four-week period in January and February and discovered downtown workers using disabled tags to park in the spots for free.

Drivers with a disabled plate or hanging tag do not have to pay hourly rates nor abide by the posted time limits.

A few employees we spoke to said they were told to park on the street because there weren't enough handicap-designated spaces at their places of employment.

"We were told these are the only handicapped spaces," said Sharon, who parked her car with a tag outside the courthouse. When WISN 12 News asked who told her, she responded that someone from the county must have said it, as she "wasn't told personally."

While the practice is perfectly legal, some lawmakers suggest the ability to get a disabled tag in Wisconsin may be too lenient and is costing the city revenue.

"We estimate at least $400,000 a year in lost revenue," said Alderman Mike Murphy, citing a one-week study performed for the city two years ago.

The city's study used an area near the lakefront, stating 12 out of 13 cars parked in the prime spots displayed disabled tags. WISN 12 News found the same results over our four-week period in 2013.

Some downtown spots WISN 12 monitored had a higher percentage of disabled-tag parking than was included in the city's study, including six city blocks where nearly every parking space was filled by vehicles displaying disabled tags.

Those six blocks of metered parking without a single cent of revenue has Murphy thinking that free parking may not be fair parking.

"You have employees who look around and say 'Hey, I'm making $30,000 a year and I'm paying $200 a month for parking," he said. "Then there is Joe Schmo over here who makes double what I'm making and is getting free parking."

Disabled tags can only be received with a doctor's approval, but can be obtained for a wide range of health issues from injuries to heart conditions -- essentially anything that makes it difficult to walk long distances.

Diana Sullivan of Independence First, a disability advocacy agency, would like to see more designated spaces downtown but agrees that free parking in standard spaces may be going a bit too far.

"Essentially the Americans with Disabilities Act says people with disabilities should have equal access, not better access," she said. "So if my co-worker is paying for parking during the daytime, I should be paying for parking as well."

Anthony Williams, who lost his leg six years ago, said the practice means he often has to park one block farther away.

When asked about finding an open disabled parking space downtown, Williams said "It's never easy. Not down here."

Murphy believes that many people are abusing the tags, but said that's tough prove or enforce. And Sullivan said that equal access means that those who have the means to pay for parking should pay like everyone else.

"You have a job, pay for your parking." She said.

Murphy is calling for changes in state laws to deal with the issuance of disabled tags as well as increased fines for their misuse.

There are also some who are calling for a better focus on enforcement. Tuesday on WISN 12 News at 10:00, Wainscott will explore where that enforcement is falling between the cracks.